As many of you discerned when you tried to visit this site over the Easter weekend, Blogger had some problems with a robot spyder software system that was supposed to find spam sites (those filled with random words) and remove them -- it instead removed many legitimate sites such as this one. The chatroom at Blogger is filled with the sad tales of people scrambling to get their sites back up. We were lucky as it took less than a day to get this one reloaded after I wrote to them. So, back to some tips.
I had planned on a longer posting over the holidays, but I am now writing early in the morning (just after sunrise, which was a stunning medley of pinks and purples off my balcony) before going to work, so I will keep this one brief.
You all should be in some stage of research on your chosen article after reading the past posts. One of the tools of research is conducting interviews. I will discuss the interview process in greater depth later, but here is a suggested interview question template to get you thinking.
Keep in mind, the actual questions should be modified to address the person, his company, his industry, his accomplishments and the mission of your article.
1. What is so good about/the star attraction of/main benefit of _____?
2. Can you give us a little bit of background about how you got involved with/in______ and what led you to become such an expert/icon/leader?
3. What sort of success/income/profit/satisfaction could someone expect to earn? Can the average person make money (gain advantage/achieve goals/reach expertise) using ____?
4. What are the top three things that someone should know in order to be a success in your field? Where/from whom did you learn them?
5. What's the best way to get started and how much money/what resources would a person need?
6. How long does it take to see the upside/make money/get established?
7. Will _____ work in any area/for anyone? Describe specifics please.
8. How much experience/training does a person need?
9. Can you provide some real life examples?
10. If you had one piece of advice, what would it be?
11. What are some of the common problems experienced?
12. Some people might think this sounds too good to be true. Is there a catch?
13. What sort of things can someone do to stay on top/maintain their achievement or product performance?
14. Where can people find more information on _____?
15. How can people contact you/your company/your distributor/buy your product?
16. What is your background/experience in this field?
17. What makes your present company/product/service stand out?
18. What led you to this approach/direction/development?
19. How long has it taken you/been in development/in the works?
20. Who contributed to/influenced/inspired this?
21. What would you point to as your (or your company's) greatest achievement?
22. What has been your (or your company's) greatest mistake/challenge? The lesson from it?
Sometimes an interview is one hour; sometimes you get only five minutes with someone. Your questions need to be trimmed to fit your time slot and to get to your key question before time is up. Do save interview time by seeking a copy of the person's biodata/CV beforehand. It may also help you to rephrase some of these questions or pursue a certain line of questioning you might have left unexplored.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Interview Questions
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Reference Books
As you can see, I spent last weekend giving this blog some additional features as I especially wanted to share some superb resource books. I've had my copy of Strunk & White's The Elements of Style by my side since my university days and it has proven its value to me over the past 30+ years, now careworn though it is. I have kept the Oxford dictionary as my vocabulary bible since my move to Asia, where the Queen's English still prevails, and am lucky that it is also loaded on my Treo mobile phone for constant and instant reference (for example, I just consulted it to see if 'careworn' had a hyphen or not...). Our copy (this one is shared with my spouse as we both refer to it frequently with pleasure) of Larousse Gastronomique (we have the hardcover edition) is another resource constantly consulted both for writing assignments and to settle issues of discussion and curiosity. Decades ago, a food writer (later managing editor) in Hawaii, John Heckathorn of Honolulu magazine, highly recommended the Larousse Gastronomique and we've never forgotten: thank you, John.
You will see that the recommended books also include several that relate to the writing of fiction. There are three reasons for this: one, even a non-fiction article has to have a bit of 'storytelling' to engage the reader or it will present like a clipping from an encyclopedia (I'm talking feature article, not news reportage here); two, there are lessons to be learned from character development that can be applied to your presentation of an interview subject; and three, many of you have asked me to extend my writing tips to the realms of fiction and beyond, which I will attempt to satisfy in coming months.
Perhaps noticeably absent from my list is the recent best seller, Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss. Although I found it very entertaining, with some funny examples of poor punctuation, the book should NOT be a grammatical reference as it suffers from very poor editing. Read The New Yorker's review of it by Louis Menand at (http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2004/06/28/040628crbo_books1) to understand what I mean. As with any endeavour, credibility is lost when you do not 'walk the talk' and 'practice what you preach'. The book ends up sending a confused message.
However, what this all underscores is the importance of reading, reading, reading. Learn from both the successes and failures of others.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Now to Start
Sorry for the absence from posting. After a trip down to Australia for Christmas, I came back and had to get some magazines out on newsstands. Then, my spouse and I took a special trip to celebrate our anniversary by going to the Australian Open in Melbourne for the Grand Finals. What a tournament!! I was sorry to see Federer out of the match but both Tsonga and Djokovich put up stellar fights to reach the finals and each played to win, evidenced by the tie-breakers. It was absolutely thrilling to watch. The weather cooperated by not blasting us with heat and the Rod Laver Arena is such a friendly place -- it seems so large on television but only holds around 15,000 people making the seating, especially on the lower level where we were, so close to the court. When you shout a cheer or encouragement, everyone definitely hears you! The players also realise this and bond with the audience by communicating audibly, and sometimes humorously.
So, back to making a living from writing... Now that you have found a special nest from which to write, I suggest getting started. Yes, I could (and will) give you writing tips, but it's best not to procrastinate and instead get the fingers flying. We will clean up your mistakes later.
Don't worry about producing the perfect title and clean copy at the beginning. Rather, focus on what you want to communicate. I suggest that if you are a beginner, don't write in the first person (first person narrative tells the story in your voice. For example, this blog is first person. "I did this, I think that, etc.) Instead try using second person (You will benefit from these ideas...), especially if you are writing a 'how to' or encouraging your reader to visit a certain place, act a certain way, believe a certain credo or buy a specific product. Alternatively write in third person (It is good to let a reader discover the facts, the emotion, the rationale.), the style you used in school for your report writing. Most editors, including myself, toss stories in the first person from a beginning writer, as amateurs don't usually have the 'expert voice' to make themselves credible in the first person (Readers Digest is perhaps the exception -- it seeks tales of personal experience). The writing is too self-centred.
You must start writing now, forget the query letters to editors, as no one is going to give a freelance assignment to someone without experience. After you get a few pieces published, building your portfolio, then an editor will ask you for a specific story. You must earn their trust first by showing that you can produce quality work. When you do, and an editor needs a specific person interviewed or event covered, the editor may then turn to you.
The easiest stories to sell as a beginner arise from your own interests. If you are a 'foodie', then pen a review of the three best places to relish ___fill in the blank (oysters, noodles, omelets) __. Choose your favourite and remember to give details. All chefs claim to 'use the freshest ingredients', so PLEASE don't cite that as your recommendation. Tell us what they do with the ingredients. If oysters, tell the reader the varieties on offer such as Belon, Bluepoint, Mad River, the flavours of each, the average size, origins and how often they are stocked. If you choose noodles, discover if they are made on the premises, explain the different types of noodle by both shape and ingredients, how they are cooked including how long and with what sauce. Don't take a level of knowledge for granted. Give a reader the details.
Alternatively, you could write on the best bars for a martini or for networking, the best spas for that perfect manicure, pedicure or detoxing treatment, the most child-friendly resorts, three great sets of wheels that will save the environment and more. Note that I suggest you write about three places. If you are new to an editor, writing about one place could sound like advertising and your motives could be doubted. Top five, 10 or 100 places are just too many for your first piece. Focus.
My above suggestions mostly centre on places, but you could write about people (top three university football coaches, private investigators, image consultants, etc), places or things. Choose your storyline, list your three items and start researching.
